Method and apparatus for deadbolt position sensing

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to an electronic deadbolt control system including a deadbolt configured to extend or retract between a locked position and an unlocked position, respectively. An output shaft connected between a final gear and the deadbolt is configured to transmit an actuation force to the deadbolt from an electric motor. A first magnet and a second magnet are associated with the final gear to define a home position for either a left hand deadbolt or a right hand deadbolt. A cam is positioned on the output shaft to engage with a switch such that, in combination with a threshold current motor output, the control system determines whether the deadbolt is in an extended position or a retracted position. A thumb-turn shaft is disengaged from the final gear in the home position to permit manual actuation of a thumb-turn.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a deadbolt control andposition sensing system for an auto-throw deadbolt or the like.

BACKGROUND

Determining a position and control of a deadbolt through electronicmeans can be desirable in an electronic deadbolt locking mechanism. Someexisting systems, methods and apparatuses are expensive, unreliable andrequire relatively high electric power to operate. Accordingly, thereremains a need for further contributions in this area of technology.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a deadbolt control andsensing apparatus with a final gear having first and second magnets toindicate home positions for a left handed door and a right handed door,respectively. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices,hardware, methods, and combinations for controlling and determining aposition of a deadbolt in an electronic lock apparatus. Furtherembodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of thepresent application shall become apparent from the description andfigures provided herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawingswherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deadbolt drive assembly with thedeadbolt in a retracted or unlocked position and a final gear in a homeposition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the deadbolt drive assembly of FIG. 1with the deadbolt in an extended or locked position and the final gearin the home position;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the deadbolt drive assembly of FIG.1 with the deadbolt in a retracted or unlocked position with the finalgear angularly displaced from the home position;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the deadbolt drive assembly of FIG.1 with the deadbolt in a retracted or unlocked position with the finalgear in the home position;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the deadbolt drive assembly of FIG.1 with the deadbolt in an extended or locked position with the finalgear angularly displaced from the home position;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the deadbolt drive assembly of FIG.1 with the deadbolt in an extended or locked position with the finalgear in the home position; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of operation for thedeadbolt drive assembly of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, perspective views of a deadbolt driveassembly 10 are illustrated in an unlocked and a locked configuration,respectively. The deadbolt drive assembly 10 includes a deadboltmechanism 20 that includes a housing 30, a deadbolt 40 and a driver bar50 operably connected to a rotatable output shaft 60. The rotatableoutput shaft 60 is operably connected to a gear train 70. The rotatableoutput shaft 60 also includes a cam 62 operably coupled thereto. Thegear train 70 can include one or more gears, and the disclosedembodiment includes a first gear 80, a second gear 90, a third gear 100,and a fourth or final gear 110. The final gear 110 is coupled to theoutput shaft 60 such that when a motor 72 rotates in one direction orthe other, the gear train 70 will either lock or unlock the deadbolt 40.In the locked position, the deadbolt 40 is in an extended position andin the unlocked position, the deadbolt 40 is in a retracted position.The final gear 110 includes a first magnet 120 operably attached orcoupled thereto and a second magnet 130 spaced apart from the firstmagnet also operably coupled thereto. Each of the first and secondmagnets 120, 130 define a home position for the deadbolt drive assembly10 in either a left hand configuration or a right hand configuration.The left hand and right hand refer to which side of the door that thedeadbolt assembly 10 is located.

A calibration procedure can determine whether the deadbolt driveassembly 10 is in an extended or retracted configuration. The first andsecond magnets 120, 130 are oriented on the final gear 110 so that theyhave opposite or reverse polarities. For example, if the first magnet120 has a positive pole facing in one direction, then the second magnet130 will have a negative pole facing in that same direction. Althoughnot shown, the deadbolt drive assembly 10 can include a control modulehousing to hold various components of the electronic control system usedto calibrate and control the locking and unlocking operation.

A process controller 140 operable for receiving and transmitting commandsignals and perform computational processing may be located in thecontrol module. A flipper switch 150 is in electrical communication withthe process controller 140. The flipper switch 150 includes a pivotfinger 160 that is engageable with the cam 62 on the output shaft 60.The pivot finger 160 will be pivotably placed in one direction or theother based on the direction that the electric motor 72 rotates the geartrain 70 which will be described in more detail below. The controlmodule housing can also include a primary magnetic sensor 170 forsensing a magnetic flux of the first and second magnets 120, 130 as themagnets rotate in proximity to the primary magnetic sensor 170 duringoperation of the gear train 70. The primary magnetic sensor 170 may be aHall effect sensor in certain embodiments. A secondary magnetic sensor180 operates as a tamper detection magnetic sensor. The tamper detectionmagnetic sensor 180 is positioned far enough away from the first andsecond embedded magnets on the final gear 110 so as not to trigger adetection, however close enough to that of the primary magnetic sensor170 to detect a tampering magnet. The tamper detection magnetic sensor180 is in electrical communication with the process controller 140,similarly to that of the primary magnetic sensor 170. The control systemcan be configured to automatically prevent unlocking of the deadboltdrive assembly 10 when the tamper detection magnetic sensor 180 senses amagnet external to the control system module. In this manner, thecontrol system prevents an unauthorized person from “fooling” thecontrol system into unlocking the deadbolt drive assembly 10 without theproper electronic credentials.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of the deadbolt driveassembly 10 is shown in a retracted or unlocked configuration and thefinal gear 110 is positioned away from a home position. The homeposition defines a position of the final gear 110 that permits athumb-turn shaft 200 to rotate and lock or unlock the deadbolt 40. Athumb-turn lever (not shown) can be connected to the thumb-turn shaft200 so as to permit manual locking or unlocking of the deadbolt driveassembly 10, as is commonly done with lock systems. The deadbolt driveassembly 10 is in a home position when one of the magnets 120, 130 arealigned with the primary magnetic sensor 170. When the final gear 110 isnot in a home position, the thumb-turn shaft 200 is lockingly engagedthrough the output shaft 60 and the gear train 70 and is prevented fromrotating independently of the final gear 110. In the home position, thethumb-turn shaft 200 is free to lock or unlock the deadbolt throughmanual actuation. The first magnet 120 can be configured to define thehome position for the left handed deadbolt drive assembly 10, and thesecond magnet 130 can be configured to define a home position for aright handed deadbolt drive assembly 10. Alternatively, the first andsecond magnets 120, 130 can be reversed so that they can define anopposite handing assembly.

The cam 62 includes a right hand actuation profile 64, a left handactuation profile 66 and a center profile 68 positioned between theright hand profile 64 and the left hand actuation profile 66. The leftand right cam profiles 64, 66 have a radius large enough to engage withthe pivot finger 160 of the flipper switch 150. The center cam profile68 has a smaller radius such that the pivot finger 160 of the flipperswitch 150 will not engage therewith. The output shaft 60 can be rotatedcounter-clockwise with the electric motor 72, such that the right handactuation profile 64 will engage with the pivot finger 160 causing thepivot finger 160 to pivot to the left in a clockwise direction about apivot axis within the flipper switch 150. Likewise, when the outputshaft 60 is rotated in a clockwise direction with the electric motor 72,the pivot finger 160 will pivot to the right in a counter-clockwisedirection about its pivot axis. The direction that the pivot finger 160pivots depends on the direction of rotation of the output shaft 60. Theflipper switch 150 sends a signal to the controller and the controlsystem uses this information to determine where the deadbolt 40 iscurrently positioned. The right hand profile 64 and the left handprofile 66 engages with the pivot finger 160 at approximately 60% of thetotal deadbolt 40 travel to an extended position. This is defined asdistance whereby the deadbolt 40 will have initially become engagedwithin the locking slot of a door jam (not shown) or the like. In thatmanner, once the pivot finger 160 is actuated, the control systemsignals that the deadbolt 40 has entered into a locking slot. When theelectric motor current reaches a threshold limit, the control systemwill signal that the deadbolt 40 has reached a maximum travel locationand the control system will stop the electric motor 72.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the deadbolt drive assembly 10 is shown insimilar configuration as FIG. 3, with the deadbolt 40 in a retracted orunlocked position, however the final gear 110 has been rotated to a homeposition such that the second magnet 130 is aligned with the primarymagnetic sensor 170. As explained above, in this position, thethumb-turn shaft 200 can independently rotate the output shaft 60through manual operation to lock or unlock the deadbolt 40.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-section view of the deadbolt driveassembly 10 is shown with the deadbolt 40 in an extended or lockedposition. The left hand profile 66 of the cam 62 is engaged with thepivot finger 160 causing the flipper switch 150 to signal to thecontroller 140 that the deadbolt 40 is in the extended position. Neitherthe first magnet 120 nor the second magnet 130 is aligned with theprimary magnetic sensor 170 therefore the deadbolt drive assembly 10 isnot located in the home position and the thumb-turn shaft 200 cannot bemanually actuated in this configuration.

Referring now to FIG. 6, after the control system moves the deadbolt 40to the extended position to lock the deadbolt drive assembly 10 as shownin FIG. 5, the control system reverses the direction of rotation of thefinal gear 110 so as to align the first magnet 120 or the second magnet130, depending on the hand configuration, with the primary magneticsensor 170. The pivot finger 160 of the flipper switch 150 remainspivoted towards the right thus confirming that the deadbolt 40 is stillin the extended or locked position, however the thumb-turn shaft 200 isnow disengaged from the final gear 110, and thus the thumb-turn shaft200 can be manually actuated to lock or unlock the deadbolt 40.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a flow chart illustrates a method of operation300 for the deadbolt assembly 10. At step 310, the control systemcalibrates the deadbolt mechanism 20 to determine which motor directionextends and retracts the deadbolt 40. The direction for extending andretracting depends on whether the deadbolt assembly 10 is in a left handor right hand location. The calibration procedure is described in moredetail below. After the calibration is completed, a lock or unlockcommand can be transmitted to the motor 72 from the controller at step320. Upon receiving the lock or unlock command, the controller at step330 will cause the motor to rotate to drive a gear train 70 in adirection as determined in the calibration step. The electric motor 72will continue rotation until the deadbolt 40 has reached a maximumtravel as determined by a threshold motor current. The maximum travelwill be in either a completely extended position or a completelyretracted position depending on whether a lock or unlock command wassent. It should be understood that the control system may receivecommands from an electronic input controller through wired or wirelessmeans. Further, any standard or nonstandard electronic input control maybe used. Non-limiting examples include, keypad, card reader, smartphone, personal computer, key fob or other similar electronic inputs.Either of the fully extended or retracted positions will prevent furthermovement of the gears which will cause the motor current to increasesuch that the control system will then shut off the power to theelectric motor 72. At step 340, the control system determines whetherthe deadbolt 40 is in a retracted or extended position depending on theposition of pivot finger 160 of the flipper switch 150. At step 350, thecontrol system will reverse the rotation of the final gear until locatedin the home position defined by an alignment of the first magnet 120 orthe second magnet 130 with a primary magnetic sensor. A thumb-turn canthen be manually actuated as desired to lock or unlock the deadbolt.

Referring back to step 310, the calibration process determines thelocation of the deadbolt 40 and whether the deadbolt 40 is fullyextended or retracted. The calibration process verifies the magnitudeand polarities of the embedded magnets and whether the deadbolt 40 isattached to the deadbolt drive assembly 10. The calibration process willalso determine which motor direction extends or retracts the deadbolt40. The calibration begins by running the motor in one direction to theend of travel based on reaching a threshold motor current. The controlsystem verifies whether the deadbolt is in extended or retractedpositions based on whether the flipper switch 150 is engaged and pivotedor disengaged from the cam profile of the cam 62. The control systemthen commands the electric motor to run in an opposite direction untilthe motor current reaches a threshold value indicating an end of travelof the deadbolt 40. During this operation, the magnitude and polaritiesof the embedded magnets 120, 130 will be sensed by the primary magneticsensor 170 and transmitted to the control system. The deadbolt 40 isthen verified in the opposite state of the original extension orretraction to confirm that the deadbolt moved from a retracted positionto an extended position, or vice versa. If in the original calibrationstep, the deadbolt state was in an extended position, the first magnetdetected is the home magnet. If in the original calibration step, thedeadbolt was in a retracted position then the second magnet will bedefined as the home magnet. The first magnet detected during a rotationwhen the final gear is moved to a home position is defined as the homemagnet.

Several faults in the system will cause the calibration to fail. If thedeadbolt location state is not different when the motor runs in oppositedirections during the calibration, then calibration will fail. Also, ifthe magnitude of the embedded magnets does not pass a threshold minimum,then the calibration fails. If an end of travel is not detected within apredefined time limit, then the calibration fails. If the motor fails tooperate when commanded to do so, then the calibration will fail

In one aspect, the present disclosure includes a deadbolt assemblycomprising: a deadbolt housing; a deadbolt slidingly engaged within thedeadbolt housing; a final gear having a first magnet and a second magnetattached thereto; a primary sensor operable to sense a magnetic flux ofthe first and second magnets; wherein the first magnet indicates a homeposition for a right handed deadbolt and the second magnet indicates ahome position for a left handed deadbolt; and a flipper switchconfigured to determine whether the deadbolt is extended or retracted.

In refining aspects, the first magnet is fixed to the final gear at afirst polarity and the second magnet is fixed to the final gear with asecond polarity opposite to the first; further comprising an electricmotor operable to rotate the final gear about an axis of rotation;further comprising a plurality of gears operably coupled between theelectric motor and the final gear; further comprising an output shaftconnected between the final gear and the deadbolt; further comprising acam coupled to the output shaft; wherein the cam includes cam profileengageable with the flipper switch; wherein the profile includes: afirst portion indicating the deadbolt is positioned in an unlocked orretracted position; a second portion indicating the deadbolt ispositioned in a locked or extended right hand position; and a thirdportion indicating the deadbolt is positioned in a locked or extendedleft hand position; further comprising a pivot finger extending from theflipper switch, the pivot finger constructed to engage with the camprofile at predetermined locations, wherein the pivot finger pivotscounter clockwise when the deadbolt is extended in a right handconfiguration and the pivot finger pivots clockwise when the deadbolt isextended in a left hand configuration; further comprising a controlprocessor in electrical communication with the flipper switch; furthercomprising a secondary sensor operable to detect a tampering magneticsource; and wherein the primary sensor and the secondary sensor are halleffect sensors.

Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method comprising:transmitting a lock or an unlock command to an electric motor from acontroller; rotating a final gear with an electric motor until adeadbolt operably connected thereto has reached a maximum travel basedon a threshold motor current; rotating the final gear in reversedirection until a home position is reached by final gear, wherein thehome position is defined by aligning a home magnet on a final gear witha primary magnet sensor; disengaging a thumb-turn shaft from the finalgear when the final gear is rotated to the home position; and manuallyactuating a thumb-turn to lock or unlock the deadbolt after return tothe home position.

In refining aspects, the method includes determining whether thedeadbolt is extended or retracted based on a pivot angle of a pivotfinger extending from a flipper switch; further comprising engaging thepivot finger with a cam associated with an output shaft; furthercomprising sensing a presence of an external tamper magnet andpreventing the deadbolt from unlocking after sensing the tamper magnet;and further comprising sending command signals to the controller throughhard wired and/or wireless devices.

Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method forcalibrating an electronic deadbolt assembly comprising: orienting afirst magnet on a final gear with either a positive pole or a negativepole facing a primary magnet sensor; orienting the second magnet on thefinal gear with an opposite facing pole to that of the first magnet;running the motor in one direction until an end of travel signal isreceived by a controller, the end of travel signal corresponding to afirst threshold motor current; verifying whether the deadbolt isextended or retracted based on a position of a flipper switch relativeto a cam on an output shaft; running the motor in an opposite directionuntil a second end of travel signal is received by the controller, thesecond end of travel signal corresponding to a second threshold motorcurrent; verifying that the deadbolt is in an opposite state to that ofthe previous deadbolt position, the verification based on the positionof the flipper switch; storing the polarity of the first and secondmagnets during each of the verifying steps; identifying which of thefirst and second magnets is the home magnet; and determining whether thedeadbolt is extended or retracted based on the pivot direction of thepivot finger and the threshold current transmitted from the electricmotor.

Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a deadbolt configuredto extend or retract between a locked position and an unlocked position,respectively; an output shaft connected between a final gear and thedeadbolt; a first magnet and a second magnet connected to the finalgear; a cam positioned on the output shaft; a flipper switch engageablewith the cam; an electric motor operable for rotating the final gear; aprimary magnet sensor configured to sense a location of each of thefirst and second magnets during rotation of the final gear; and anelectronic controller in electrical communication with the primarymagnet sensor, the flipper switch and the electric motor.

In refining aspects, the first and second magnets are oriented withopposite polarities facing the primary magnet sensor; wherein the firstand second magnets are positioned on the final gear so as to indicate ahome position for either a left hand deadbolt or a right hand deadbolt;wherein the output shaft is free to rotate via thumb-turn when the finalgear is in the home position; further comprising a secondary magnetsenor configured to detect a tampering magnetic flux.

It should be understood that the component and assembly configurationsof the present disclosure can be varied according to specific designrequirements and need not conform to the general shape, size, connectingmeans or general configuration shown in the illustrative drawings tofall within the scope and teachings of this patent application.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to covervarious modifications and equivalent arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accordedthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore, itshould be understood that while the use of the word preferable,preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that featureso described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessaryand any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within thescope of the invention, that scope being defined by the claims thatfollow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as“a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is nointention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically statedto the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least aportion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portionand/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.

1.-23. (canceled)
 24. A bolt assembly, comprising: a housing; a boltslidably mounted to the housing for movement between an extendedposition and a retracted position; a gear train engaged with the boltand operable to move the bolt between the extended position and theretracted position; at least one magnet mounted to the gear train; aprimary sensor operable to detect a handedness of the bolt assemblybased on a magnetic flux generated by the at least one magnet; and aswitch configured to detect the extended position and/or the retractedposition of the bolt.
 25. The bolt assembly of claim 24, wherein the atleast one magnet is mounted to a final gear of the gear train.
 26. Thebolt assembly of claim 24, wherein the at least one magnet comprises: afirst magnet that indicates a home position for a right-handed bolt; anda second magnet that indicates a home position for a left-handed bolt.27. The bolt assembly of claim 26, wherein the first magnet is fixed tothe gear train and has a first polarity; and wherein the second magnetis fixed to the gear train and has a second polarity opposite the firstpolarity.
 28. The bolt assembly of claim 24, further comprising anelectric motor operable to drive the gear train to move the bolt betweenthe extended position and the retracted position.
 29. The bolt assemblyof claim 24, further comprising a secondary sensor operable to detect atampering magnetic source.
 30. The bolt assembly of claim 24, furthercomprising a cam coupled with the gear train; wherein the cam is engagedwith the switch and includes: a first portion that indicates the bolt isin the retracted position; a second portion that indicates the bolt isin the extended position while in a right-handed orientation; and athird portion that indicates the bolt is in the extended position whilein a left-handed orientation.
 31. The bolt assembly of claim 30, whereinthe switch comprises a pivot finger operable to engage the cam; whereinthe pivot finger is in a neutral position when aligned with the firstportion; wherein the pivot finger is in a first pivoted position whenengaged with the second portion; and wherein the pivot finger is in asecond pivoted position opposite the first pivoted position when engagedwith the third portion.
 32. A bolt assembly, comprising: a housing; abolt slidably mounted to the housing for movement between an extendedposition and a retracted position, the bolt having one of a right-handedorientation and a left-handed orientation; a gear train engaged with thebolt and operable to move the bolt between the extended position and theretracted position; a cam mounted to the gear train, the cam including afirst portion, a second portion, and a third portion; and a switchincluding a pivot finger operable to engage the cam; wherein, with thepivot finger aligned with the first portion, the pivot finger is in aneutral position and indicates that the bolt is in the retractedposition; wherein, with the pivot finger engaged with the secondportion, the pivot finger is in a first pivoted position and indicatesthat the bolt is in the extended position and the right-handedorientation; and wherein, with the pivot finger engaged with the thirdportion, the pivot finger is in a second pivoted position and indicatesthat the bolt is in the extended position and the left-handedorientation.
 33. The bolt assembly of claim 32, wherein the cam ismounted to an output shaft operable to move the bolt between theextended position and the retracted position.
 34. The bolt assembly ofclaim 33, further comprising a gear train and an electric motor operableto drive the gear train; and wherein the output shaft is coupled to afinal gear of the gear train.
 35. The bolt assembly of claim 34, furthercomprising: a first magnet mounted to the gear train; and a primarysensor configured to detect one of the right-handed orientation and theleft-handed orientation based on a magnetic flux generated by the firstmagnet.
 36. The bolt assembly of claim 35, further comprising a secondmagnet mounted to the gear train; and wherein the primary sensor isconfigured to detect the other of the right-handed orientation and theleft-handed orientation based on a magnetic flux generated by the secondmagnet.
 37. The bolt assembly of claim 32, further comprising: a firstmagnet and a second magnet mounted to a gear train engaged with thebolt; and a primary sensor configured to detect whether the bolt is inthe right-handed orientation or the left-handed orientation based onmagnetic flux generated by the first magnet and the second magnet. 38.The bolt assembly of claim 37, wherein the first magnet is mounted tothe gear train and has a first polarity; and wherein the second magnetis mounted to the gear train and has a second polarity opposite thefirst polarity.
 39. A method, comprising: transmitting a lock commandand/or an unlock command to an electric motor from a controller;rotating a gear train with the electric motor until a bolt operablyconnected to the gear train has reached a maximum travel; rotating thegear train in a reverse direction until a home position is reached bythe gear train, wherein the home position is defined by aligning a homemagnet on the gear train with a primary magnetic sensor, wherein thehome magnet comprises one of a first magnet and a second magnet, thefirst magnet indicating the home position for a right handed bolt whenaligned with the primary magnetic sensor, and the second magnetindicating the home position for a left handed bolt when aligned withthe primary magnetic sensor; and disengaging a thumb-turn shaft from thegear train when the gear train is rotated to the home position.
 40. Themethod of claim 39, further comprising determining that the bolt hasreached the maximum travel based on a threshold motor current.
 41. Themethod of claim 39, further comprising, after return of the bolt to thehome position, moving the bolt to one of an extended position and aretracted position in response to manual actuation of a thumbturn. 42.The method of claim 39, further comprising determining whether thedeadbolt is extended or retracted based on a pivot angle of a pivotfinger extending from a switch.
 43. The method of claim 39, furthercomprising sensing a presence of an external tamper magnet andpreventing the deadbolt from unlocking after sensing the external tampermagnet.